Netball Victoria is delighted with the State Government’s announcement of new and re-developed netball courts at Melbourne Girls College, and Richmond West Primary School under the Inner City Netball program.
This marks the second announcement of courts within the program, and the first in the City of Yarra.
Netball Victoria CEO, Rosie King, is pleased to see the first announcement in Yarra, and congratulated the Government for working collaboratively with stakeholders to deliver facilities that will support the community as well as local schools.
“Representatives of Sport and Recreation Victoria, City of Yarra, Department of Education and Netball Victoria working together have enabled us to reach this point today,” said King.
“Delivering quality netball facilities in schools provides greater outcomes for the range of programs delivered, and is an essential partnership in areas of Melbourne where significant population growth is expected.”
“The Government understands the need for first class facilities as a measure to address lower sporting participation by women and girls. With greater programming capacity we can now offer netball to more people, giving them access to the benefits of sport including physical and mental health, as well as the social connection sport brings.”
This announcement will see five courts developed in the City of Yarra. The existing non-compliant, sloping courts at Melbourne Girls College, will be replaced by three fully compliant lit courts enabling safer participation and greater programming for both the school and the wider community.
Richmond West Primary will receive two compliant lit courts under the funding program, delivering courts in the heart of Richmond. The courts will support the school’s existing sports program which includes before school netball clinics. The courts will be developed by the School Building Authority in partnership with Sport and Recreation Victoria.
In 2015, the Andrews Labor Government pledged to develop 64 compliant netball courts across inner and northern Metropolitan Melbourne, under the Inner City Netball program. It was specifically created to address court shortages and lower than average participation rates in these areas.
The addition of these courts will support the great work of the Richmond Netball Association within the community. The courts will provide an opportunity for the Association to grow and provide greater training and development opportunities for new participation.
